# What ever happened to: The Ozone Hole? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 23, 2003, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ever-happened-to-the-ozone-hole/190490 "2003-07-23T22:04:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![urban1a](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e47c2d/32.png) [@urban1a](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/urban1a)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2003, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ever-happened-to-the-ozone-hole/190490/1 "2003-07-23T22:04:14Z")
Years ago, there was considerable concern about the thinning ozone over the Antarctic. Treaties were signed to stop using/manufacturing Freon and other chemicals. At one point I remember reading about a similar ‘hole’ over the US. Has the hole closed up since we have mostly stopped using these chemicals? Bob ---
**Author:** ![robinc308](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@robinc308](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robinc308)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2003, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ever-happened-to-the-ozone-hole/190490/2 "2003-07-23T23:12:24Z")
No, the hole’s still there. Although I seem to recall that last year was the first year that it got smaller or didn’t grow or something like that. We still hear about it in Australia, because during the summer months its edges extend up over southern Australia and it means that the sun will burn more easily or something. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2003, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-ever-happened-to-the-ozone-hole/190490/3 "2003-07-23T23:29:25Z")
Here’s a picture of last fall’s [ozone hole](http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap021022.html).